Killing Shadows
by Tessa.Love is Dangerous
Summary: My smiles falls as I see what she's taken out of her clock, pointing straight at me, Right at my heart... A gun...


A/N: The usual, I don't own, profit, or hate the Hunger Games. Please review!

{Lottie}

"So, that's that." I smile brightly, staring at the golden man standing in front of me. He smiles back at me, ruffling my hair. I moan, my eyes narrowing at him as I start to bound down the cool, oak stairs, my footsteps pounding.

"Lottie!" Finn's melodic voice comes form the top of the stairs. I glance back behind my shoulder to see him chasing me down the stairs, gaining on me, fast. I shriek, bolting down the stairs into the toasty living room, the fire crackling in the hearth. My mother watches me with laughter in her stormy gray eyes, my father watching also, his crystal blue eyes twinkling with laughter as he sets a tea cup down for Annie, Finn's mother.

I stop at the bottom of the stairs to catch my breath, and to smile at the adults, but Finn slams into me from behind, tackling me into the couch.

"Finnick Odair, get off of Lottie this instant!" Annie shrieks, jumping up.

He laughs, letting go of my arms. I spit feathers out of my mouth and sit up, shaking my hair out of my face.

"Finn and I are going to go to the bakery early, so I can show him what we do there, is that okay?" I brush a stray curl out of my face to stare at my father, silently asking for permission.

He looks between the two of us, and then nods.

"But if my daughter comes back with as much as a bruise or scratch I will-" Dad says, standing up.

"DAD!" I moan, flinging a pillow in his direction. He deflects it, a devious grin on his face.

"We'll be fine." I hiss, grabbing Finn's hand to pull myself up. He watches me closely, a grin lighting up his face as I drag him towards the front door.

I fling the door open, then pause, pursing my lips as I turn back on my heel to look at the adults in the living room.

I open my mouth, and then shut it, shaking my head.

"Bye." I dramatically wave my hand, dragging Finn out the front door.

Once we're outside, Finn yanks his hand from mine, laughing loudly.

"What was that?" He laughs harder at my expression and I cross my tanned arms across my chest, both for warmth and anger from him laughing at me.

"My dad is WAY overprotective of me and my brother." I sigh, shaking my head, my brown curls slowly unraveling from my sloppy braid.

"By the way, where is your brother?" Finn squints at the bakery, which just came into view, the white building glinting softly in the sun.

I purse my lips, glancing briefly at the outline of the woods before looking back at Finn's glowing green eyes.

"He's outside, there." I meekly gesture to the woods. Finn raises his golden eyebrows and I sigh, explaining.

"He's now developed a love of hunting, so I wouldn't be surprised if he's been out there all night."

I bound up the stairs to the bakery, fishing the keys out of my worn jeans pocket, flipping the sign from 'Closed' to 'Open' as I walk into the bakery, the familiar smells of dill and dough filling my nostrils.

I sigh, flinging my keys on the register table as I walk towards the back room, snagging an apron off of the hook as I open the back door. I stick my head through the tied ropes as I turn over to look at Finn, who's watching me with wide eyes.

I smile, tying the ropes around my waist as I turn on the ovens, shoving a pan full of yesterday's dough into the oven. The bell rings, signaling a costumer and I frown.

"What's wrong?" Finn looks at me quizzically and I shake my head.

"We normally don't have costumers this early, but whatever." I walk past Finn, then stop right before the door, turning back to look at him.

"DON'T. TOUCH. ANYTHING." I ground out, staring at him in the eye. He swallows hard, nodding and I smile sweetly, walking towards the front counter.

I smile bigger when I see the costumer, my smile faltering slightly as I see what the person is wearing.

A cloak covers the entire person, hiding everything from my view. I stride up to counter, leaning slightly towards the costumer.

"Welcome to Mellark's Bakery, what can I get you?" I smile, able to see that the person is a female, around thirty years old, and her light-almost white blonde hair curls in gentle curls around her face, her eyes a light almost transparent blue that watch my every move closely.

"Are you the Mockingjay's daughter?" Her voice reminds me of ice bells, sweet but sharp at the same time.

I blink, my head swimming in confusion. I laugh uncertainly, nodding slightly.

"I don't usually call her that but yeah, I'm her daughter. Why?" I stare into her eyes a smile plastered on my face as she reaches into her cloak, grabbing something.

My smile falls as she aims what she grabbed, aimed right at my heart.

A gun.

{Katniss}

Lottie drags Finn outside and a second later, Peeta, Annie and I burst out laughing.

"Good job Peeta!" I rub his arm and he grins at me affectionately.

Annie giggles, looking at the closed front door, shaking her head.

"She's growing up so nicely." She says absentmindedly, rubbing her arm. I look at Peeta and he nods, clearing his throat.

"So Annie, how's Finn been doing?" Peeta leans forward, his shirt and pants tightening in all the right places. I stare at him as he talks with Annie.

I've hardly noticed Peeta was asking me a question until he shakes my shoulders lightly.

I shake my head, smiling lightly. His eyes watch me closely, the blue clouded with concern for me.

I open my mouth to say something, but a gunshot rings throughout all of District 12. A sharp pain shoots through my collarbone and I gasp, falling to the ground, clutching my collar.

"Katniss? Are you okay?" Peeta holds me, making me look at him.

"Lottie." I whisper, Peeta's eyes clouding with understanding. "Or Nick."

"We have to help them, now!"

{Finn}

I chuckle as I look around the bakery, grabbing an apron. I look out the window, staring contently at the woods.

I hear Lottie chuckle lightly and I turn, frowning as I silently walk up to the back door, pressing my ear against the cool wood, listening intently.

"I don't usually call her that, but yeah, I'm her daughter." Lottie's muffled answer comes through the door.

A second later, there's a gunshot, and the front door flings open.

I bolt through the back door, my heart pounding.

I see a flash of black as the person runs through the front door. I move to chase her, and then slip from something on the ground. I groan as my shoulder hits the ground hard, and I hear a moan. I look up startled to meet Lottie's pained eyes watching me from beneath hooded eyelids.

I had slipped from her blood. I gasp, getting up on my knees and crawl over towards Lottie's convulsing form. I pull her over to me by her shoulders and my left hand goes slick from her blood. The person had shot her right above her collarbone and her eyes have rolled back in her head.

"No no no." I gasp; hauling Lottie's limp form into my arms and stagger to my feet. The door flings open and Mr. Mellark's bright eyes scan the room, my Mother right behind him.

"Lottie!" Mr. Mellark howls, racing over to my shaking form. He hauls her out of my arms and places light kisses on her forehead, moaning and cursing.

Mom races over to me and she fidgets over me, but I push her away.

"Lottie's the big worry. We need to get her to the hospital." I stumble and Mom catches me.

{Peeta}

I haul Katniss to her feet and we race to the door. I see a cloaked figure race from the bakery and Katniss growls, reaching behind her to grab bow and arrows. Fury and murder are in her gray eyes as she starts to bolt towards the disappearing figure.

"Katniss!" I howl. She turns back and races back to me, flinging her body at me, and I hug her tightly.

"Be careful." I whisper in her hair. She pulls back and I slam my lips against hers. I pull her closer to me, deepening the kiss. I pull back, breathless and she brushes a stray curl away from my face.

"Always." She turns away and bolts after the figure. I turn to look at Annie and we nod, bolting towards the bakery.

Once we're there, I bolt through the front door, Annie right at my heels. I see blood everywhere and Lottie's unconscious form in Finn's hands.

"Lottie!" I howl, racing over to her limp form and take her from Finn's shaking arms.

Finn says something and Annie walks over to me, gently pushing me out of the bakery and towards the hospital. Once we're in the hospital, a nurse comes and takes Lottie away from me.

Dr. Grey bolts past us, then turns around, walking back to us.

"Do you want to come watch us with the surgery?" He asks us.

"We need to go." Finn rasps, starting to drag Annie's shaking form away. I turn back, nodding.

"Come this way." Dr. Grey directs me towards a surgery room, and I have a feeling that this isn't going to go as planned.

At all.

{Katniss}

I storm into the hospital with Nick right at my heels, both of us spewing fire. My temper calms when I see Peeta's exhausted form slumped in a chair, his head in his hands. Nick and I walk over to him and gently run my hand over his arm.

"Any word?" I tilt Peeta's chin up to look at him in the eye. His eyes are teary as he shakes his head.

"No, but I saw the whole surgery." He whispers, burying his face in his hands again

Dr. Grey comes out and I tap Peeta's shoulder.

"Well, I have good news and I have bad news." Dr. Grey sighs, stripping off his gloves. He's been through so much with our family, and to my surprise and anger, tears well up in my eyes.

"I don't know for sure if she'll survive, it's too early on in the process to tell for sure."

"Why can't you tell?" My voice is deathly calm, my eyes burning as Dr. Grey puts up his hands.

"What I mean is, she's lost a lot of blood and I can't tell right now how her body's taking the new blood." He sighs, falling back in his chair.

All my brain can hear is that my baby girl is going to die.

And there's nothing I can do to stop it.

It's the worst game a parent can play,

And I've fallen into the trap.

{Nick}

Lottie has finally been able to come home, but she's not the same. She has this empty look in her beautiful blue eyes, and her skin hangs off her bones like baggy clothing, and she's developed this nervous tremor in her hands.

She and I are sitting on the porch, I sketching, she watching the woods with a lost look in her eyes, her hands playing a wild dance across her lap absent-mindly, humming a nervous tune, when Thom runs up to the porch, his Seam eyes dancing and wild as he huffs, trying to form words.

Lottie stiffens, turning inside herself, and I lean forward, grabbing her hand to get closer. Mom and Dad walk out, Dad wiping off his hands on a dishtowel, a frown creasing both of their foreheads.

"Thom?" Mom kneels in front of Thom's shaking form as he coughs violently.

"Thom, what is it?" She grabs his shoulders, forcing him to look at her.

He looks shakily up at her, smiling widely as he rasps, "They've found her, and are bringing her back for a proper hanging! And guess what? She was Snow's granddaughter, the one they never found? That's her."

Mom and Dad stiffen, and Lottie's eyes cloud with confusion, and her forehead creasing. I stare at her, shocked, because this is the first real emotion she's shown since she came back 2 weeks ago.

"Whom are you talking about?" she whispers.

Thom doesn't miss a beat, unaware of Mom and Dad's warning glares.

"The woman who shot you of course."

And that's that Lottie needs, turning fully inside herself as she screams, clutching her scar, curling into a little ball, her face contorting into a pained scream, her eyes wide, black, and unseeing.

I clutch her against my chest, pinning her back as she fights weakly, riding a flashback.

{Lottie}

_"Are you the Mockingjay's daughter?" the voice is slow and distorted, and I frown, my heart pounding as I try to stop myself from answering._

_But the words tumble out of my mouth anyway._

_"That's not what I call her, but yeah, I'm her daughter. Why?"_

_The movements are sluggish and slow, but the gun makes an appearance, pointed straight at my heart._

_I gasp, ducking slightly as the gun shoots. I jerk slowly towards the side, feeling a part of my getting ripped and warm, thick liquid runs down my arm as I fall towards the ground._

_"That's for grandfather." She hisses before she turns, a flash of black,_

_And she's gone._

I scream, the pain intensified as my eyes fly open, bolting upright.

"Lottie!" Mom shrieks as I bolt up to the fireplace, tears streaming down my face.

Mom yanks me away from the fireplace, and I fight against her, a urge so strong riding through my blood, wanting me to jump into the fire, having it consume me entirely and then I wouldn't be haunted anymore.

But Mom and Dad and Nick always stop me.

And I hate them for it.

I turn around in her arms and start to sob uncontrollably, shaking hard, the tremors in my hands hysterical.

"Peeta." I hear Mom call out, and a second later I'm lifted off the ground, safe in my Dad's strong arms. I burrow deep into his arms, my head in his chest as I sob, clutching his shirt, my breathing shallow and hysterical.

A bunch of memories of my childhood come into my mind, as I smell the familiar smells of the bakery in my Dad's shirt.

But then I remember the shooting and I start to tremble even harder.

Dad sets me down gently on my bed and I curl into a little ball, shutting myself out of the world. I feel his hand on my back, but I don't even acknowledge his hand, sobbing into my knees.

A second later, a set of wiry, strong hunter's arms encircle my tiny body and I feel Mom's tiny body slide up next to mine, holding me tight.

{Katniss}

She has nightmares every night.

Screaming in horror and bloodcurdling wails of pain as her mind replays her shooting. Even Nick's presence in her room does nothing for her.

I try to block out her screams one night and I turn around in Peeta's tense arms and I can tell he's not asleep either.

"Peeta, I can't take this anymore." I whisper into his chest, tears silently falling off my cheeks.

"I know Katniss, but she needs time to heal." Peeta runs his fingers through my hair and I curl even deeper into his chest, his warmth enveloping my shaking body.

{Nick}

A week later, her hanging happens.

And Mom, Dad, and I go to see it.

Not Lottie.

It's a private hanging, in the middle of the forest, only for a handful of people that were invited.

The woman is beautiful alright, her lips plump and full, rose red, her hair so light it's almost white but it's a really pale blonde when I squint in the sunlight, her clothes tattered and torn, stumbling a little as she's shoved up to the hanging tree, her eyes triumphant as the noose wraps loosely around her neck as they set her on a tree branch.

"Lillian Mary Snow, you are charged by the force of shooting and attempting to assassinate Lottie Rose Mellark, daughter of Katniss Mellark, former Katniss Everdeen, Mockingjay, and Peeta Mellark. Your punishment, hanging until you're dead from the hanging tree, a couple hundred yards away from where the attempted assassination took place. Do you have anything to say before your death?" The mayor stares distainly at the smiling woman.

She nods, her eyes locking on mine. "She'll never escape me. I'll always be there since her mother killed my grandfather, she should feel what I feel."

"WITCH!" Mom screams, her eyes wild and wet with tears as she lunges for the small woman.

Dad leaps forward and catches her, pulling her back, pinning her against him as she screams and fights to kill the laughing woman.

The mayor nods and Thom walks up towards the tree, an axe swinging lazily in his left hand as he reaches the tree. He raises the ax and swiftly chops the branch off, making her hang.

She doesn't die fast, it's a long, slow death and she laughs through most of the hanging.

I'm glad Lottie didn't come to see this.

I think I'll have nightmares too after this.

She finally dies and her body is quickly disposed of.

But her eyes never left mine the entire hanging.

Dad, Mom, and I shakily walk back home, Dad stopping momentarily to lock up the bakery. Once we're home, I can tell there's something not right.

"Lottie?" I call out, but all I hear is a whimper.

"Lottie, it's okay. It's just Dad, Mom and I. Where are you?" I walk slowly in to the living room and gasp.

The shades are torn and strewn everywhere, the couch ripped and stuffing everywhere. One pillow is thrown up into the ceiling fan and the fire is blazing heavily.

I walk up carefully to the fire and gasp.

The invitation to the hanging is burning at the top of fire.

"Mom…" I point to the letter and she curses.

"Peeta, she's here somewhere. We need to find her." Dad nods, turning to go upstairs.

"Nick…" Mom nods towards the front coat closet and she and I creep up quietly.

Mom opens the door quickly and a shriek emerges from somewhere inside the closet. Mom and I crawl deep into the closet and Mom finds her, rocking her close.

"Sshh baby girl." Mom whispers into Lottie's matted hair, coated with dust.

"Everything will be alright."

{Peeta}

Lottie screams, her eyes flying open as she bolts towards the fireplace. Her screams are clear over the screams of the wind from outside, a bad storm brewing.

"Lottie." I rush over to her shaking form, pulling her into my chest, her tears damping my shirt quickly.

"Not real Lottie. Not real." I breathe into her hair.

The front door flies open and Nick's flushed face appears before Katniss's.

"Dad!" Nick shouts, his eyes dancing. "We barely got anything, the storm's too great-"

The door slams shut, sounding like a gunshot, and Lottie screams, "DON'T SHOOT!" falling to the ground.

I fall down next to her, pulling her close.

"What's happening?" Lottie cries, breathing shallow.

She whispers this over and over, until finally she falls limp, moaning occasionally.

{Lottie}

That night, I wash the dishes silently, Buttercup keeping guard for me. He meows softly and I smile sadly.

"You're doing a good job Buttercup." I wipe my hands as I set the last plate on the drying rack, petting his coarse fur. I pick him up gently as Nick bursts through the front door.

"I got Haymitch all locked up." He breathes. Mom nods thanks, watching the TV with worried eyes, chewing her lip nervously. Dad smiles softly, wrapping his arm tighter around Mom.

Buttercup meows angrily and I set him down on the countertop, moving to get a bowl for milk, when a tree branch crashes through the kitchen window, not a foot away from me.

I scream, grabbing Buttercup as Buttercup meows loudly. Dad jumps up along with Mom and they rush over to where I'm standing, frozen in shock as I stare with wide eyes at the broken window.

"LOTTIE!" Dad yells over the moaning wind, clutching me to his side and I notice that I'm still screaming. He shakes me, hard, forcing me to look at him. His eyes are wild and worried.

"Dad…" I breathe, clutching his shirt as I stare at the broken window again.

"Lottie, talk to me please." Dad moans, hugging me close. Mom and Nick had gone outside to shut the shutters on the window and the wind puts a chill in my bones. I shake my head, still staring wide-eyed at the glass littering the floor.

I bury my head into Dad's chest, weeping silently.

"She's found me, don't let her take me, please Dad." I whisper. Dad's arms tighten around my shaking form, pressing his lips against my head, whispering, "She's not going to get you Lottie. She's dead. She's dead."

I gasp, pulling away suddenly, Buttercup shifting uncomfortably in my arms. I shake my head violently.

"No, no, no, NO!" I drop Buttercup, clenching my hands over my ears as I scream, bolting up to my bedroom, the vision bright and as painful as it was the first time.

{Nick}

"Where's Lottie?" I mumble through my toast. Mom stiffens slightly, her knife hitting its mark a little harder than the last cut. Dad looks up at my Mom from his newspaper, watching her closely.

"She's still not up yet." Dad mumbles, still staring at Mom. I jump slightly as Mom slams her knife down hard on the table. Dad stands up slowly.

"Katniss?" Dad whispers, his hands slightly outstretched. I stand up slowly, walking quietly over to where Dad's standing. Mom turns suddenly, her eyes wild, breathing heavily.

"That's IT!" Mom shrieks, starting to run over to where the stairs are. Dad jumps in front of her and they fall to the ground. Mom snarls, fighting Dad and I jump over their bodies, trying to get to the stairs. I grunt as I trip over Mom's foot, falling hard on the wooden floor. I gasp as I see a pair of laced feet in my line of vision and I raise my head to look at two blue eyes watching mine with confusion clouding the blue.

"Lo-lottie?" I stutter, trying to get up from Mom's legs. Mom stiffens and her gray eyes and Dad's blue eyes look up in shock at Lottie, who's fully dressed like she's ready to go to the bakery.

"Hey Nick, what'ca doing?" Her voice is light and her eyes are covered with veiled humor. She reaches out a hand and I grab it gratefully, grunting when she hauls me out from underneath Mom's legs. I brush myself off and she chirps, smiling widely as she skips over to the kitchen, grabbing a cheesy bun from the basket.

"So Nick, if you would be so kind to grab my baking basket please. Mom, I'll be home a little late because I'm planning on hunting later with Nick, if that's okay?" She looks at me and I gape at her.

"Nick?" She snaps her fingers in front of my face and I shake my head, smiling ruefully at her, nodding my head.

"Sure Lottie." I chuckle, bolting over to her bakery basket, my heart in my throat.

"Lottie?" Dad whispers, his eyes questioning.

"Lottie, why?" Mom walks up to Lottie; patting her shoulder, hope lighting up her stormy eyes.

"Well…" Lottie's eyes are thoughtful as she takes a bite from the bun. Her eyes light up. "Oh my gosh this is delicious!"

She finishes the bun, wiping her hands on her worn jeans. She sighs, sitting down.

"After what happened last night, all that time I thought I was safe here even though she was dead all this time, but that tree branch made me realize that I'm never going to safe. So I thought I'd get my life back on track." She smiles softly and Dad and Mom scoop her into a bear hug, crying silently.

I clean my throat and they all pull away, wiping their eyes.

"Are you ready?" I hold up the basket, tears in my eyes. Lottie breathes in deeply, nodding firmly.

"I'll go with Dad." She grabs the basket and wrings her arm through Dad's arm, smiling brightly.

"See you all later." Lottie calls, and the front door close softly.

{Peeta}

Lottie's crystal blue eyes are dancing when she sees the bakery come into view.

She sighs deeply and I smile, hugging her tighter to me. She looks up at me, smiling. "I've missed that view so much." She sighs, brushing a lock of hair out of her eyes. I smile, chuckling lightly as I hug her closer to me. She burrows deep into my shoulder and I trip on the step going up to the bakery.

"Sorry Dad!" Lottie shrieks, catching me, my right hand catching my falling body.

"No problem Lottie." I breathe, pulling myself up. Lottie trots up the stairs to the door. She freezes, her hand outstretched to unlock the door, her face pale, her eyes slightly unfocused.

I walk up to her shaking form, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Lottie," I whisper, my voice sad. "You don't have to do this." She shakes her head vigorously, breathing heavily.

"No dad, you don't get it! I _have _to do this!" She breathes in deeply before unlocking the door. It clicks open and Lottie wipes away some sweat from her brow.

I brush past her and she changes the sign from 'Closed' to 'Open' and I walk past the spot where she was shot. The blood had been wiped clean and there's no trace of blood anywhere. Lottie stiffens even more when she bolts past the spot, her face ashen.

I glance worriedly at her as I pull on my apron and I walk up to her.

"You sure you're okay Lottie?" I brush a piece of hair out of her face as she smiles shakily at me, nodding slightly.

"Yeah Dad. You're here, so it makes it better."

The bell rings and Lottie stiffens so she's as stiff as a board.

"Don't worry-" I start, going to move past her. She bolts in front of me.

"-Because I'm going to ring them in for you!" She finishes.

I stare at her, worry plain in my eyes. "Are you-"

"Sure, yeahofcourseI'msurewhywouldn'tIbesure?" Lottie says in one breath. She turns around and bolts through the back door before I can get one word.

{Lottie}

I walk silently to the register table, my heart racing. Memories play through my mind as I turn the corner to the front. Black flashes from the table and my breath hitches.

_No…_

_She couldn't have found me._

_She's dead…_

_Right?_

I breathe a sigh of relief as I see the person come into full view. Beautiful green eyes meet my ice blue eyes with shock written in them.

"Lottie?" Delly whispers, her face breaking into a smile.

"Hey Delly, welcome to the 'Mellark's Bakery' emporium. What can I get you?"

She laughs, shaking her head as she digs through her bag to grab her list. "I'll take some cinnamon bread and some cookies. How are you doing?"

I nod, placing her order in a basket. "Not bad really. Have a great day!" I wave at her retreating form and I jump as I feel a hand gently touch the small of my back.

"Great job Lottie." Dad's warm breath tickles my ear as I turn to face him, smiling warmly.

"Thanks Dad." I hug him tightly, thinking that my world is finally back together again.


End file.
